Paul Stebbing, Barnsley Archives & Local Studies Manager, examines a photo display relating to a popular local club.

Working men’s clubs flourished in industrialised areas of the United Kingdom, particularly in the north of England, from the nineteenth century onwards, and Barnsley was no exception. A type of private social club, they provided recreation and sometimes education for working class men and their families. The first working men’s club at Ardsley/Stairfoot was founded in 1890, based in two adjoining cottages in Gordon Street. Then, just two years later, on 5 March 1892, the Barnsley Chronicle reported;

After much vexatious delay from one cause or another, not without the control of the executive, the Working Men’s Club at Ardsley, which was started some two years ago on the initiative of the “young squire,” Mr. R.K. Micklethwait, has at length become installed in the handsome and commodious new building specially erected for it, the opening of the premises being celebrated on Monday last. The popularity of the club is attested by the fact that it has already a membership of about 140, which is being added to every week, and will doubtless be augmented much more rapidly now that suitable rooms have been provided.’

Squire Micklethwait had donated the site for the new club, the land being valued at £536. He also generously loaned the money for the building of the club, which cost some £3000. The plans had been drawn up by Mr. J.P. Kaye; the club occupying a commanding position on the
roadside at Stairfoot, very close to the original site in Gordon Street. A stone structure with bay windows and ornamental entrance, the large new club incorporated a caretaker’s residence, ample cellarage, lecture hall, reading room, committee rooms, billiard room, smoke room, library and a sizeable bar. Its popularity and membership flourished in the years that followed and it became a well-known landmark for generations of Ardsley and Stairfoot residents. The building still survives today as an Indian restaurant.

Added to the collections of Barnsley Archives and Local Studies is a huge framed display relating to the club. We are indebted to one of our customers who highlighted to us the online auction of this important Ardsley treasure, which we managed to successfully acquire, conserve and make available to researchers. The huge display dates back to March 1919 and commemorates the purchase of the club, presumably the point at which the loans needed to build it had been repaid. Measuring 102 x 77cm, the display was put together based on a design by Tom Fletcher, and using photographs taken by William Randall the Photographer of 3 Peel Street, Barnsley.

All hand-drawn and illustrated, it features a photograph of the club, as well as sixteen portraits of the officers and committee members:

S.Taylor, W.L. Wadsworth, R. Massey, R. Sykes, A. Wollerton, E. Wright, C.H. Widdowson, F. Holloway, H. Gosling, J. Watling, Fred Brook, O.Bennett, W. Thewlis, R. Bird, H. Wainwright and J. Bamforth.

Do any of these men feature in your family tree?

Here’s a more contemporary view of the building, in a photo taken in 2017

More Ardsley Related Records

You can search explorebarnsleycollections.com to view more records we hold relating to the Ardsley area.

The first Barnsley British Co-operative store at Ardsley was opened in 1868, Today, a building still stands which belonged to a later shop which was opened in 1877, the first Manager was Mr John Fairclough. This branch finally closed to the public in 1971, later becoming a hair salon and carpet retailer. Visit our Service Please online exhibition to learn more about the Barnsley British Co-operative Society

Have you read our recent articles?